Lords demand answers from David Cameron about Northern Ireland / Great Britain drifting apart due to Windsor Framework

The letter from the house’s European Affairs sub-committee on the Windsor Framework, comes following a brief-but-detailed inquiry into how badly (or otherwise) the Province is faring under in new post-Brexit world.

In particular, over the past month-or-so the committee has looked at “divergence” between Northern Ireland and Great Britain as a result of the NI Protocol and its later incarnation, the Windsor Framework.

Unionists have worried that, because the EU retains some say over trading rules in Northern Ireland whilst the rest of the UK does not, the two will drift apart in time.

Among the evidence the committee had collected were examples of where this was already happening.

"Some witnesses told us that divergence was already having an impact,” the committee said.

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"Nichola Mallon [SDLP MLA-turned-transport lobbyist] told us that some of her members are telling her that ‘meeting the different requirements for GB-NI in relation to movements has reduced their flexibility, added cost and impacted their workload, staffing and resources’.”

As a result, the committee has now called upon Lord Cameron (the ex-Prime Minister and newly-appointed UK foreign secretary) to answer a catalogue of questions, including: “Does the government agree with suggestions that the effects of divergence will increase over time, as a result of regulatory developments either in Great Britain or the EU and, if so, how is it planning to manage this?”

A response is expected by March.